This morning started off early again. 6am breakfast. 6:30am leave for the stoplight in León to pick up the translators. The team was slow moving this morning, but everyone was ready for our first day of VBS and feedings.
When we picked up the translators, it gave us the chance to introduce them to the team. We all scrunched into the 2 vans with the VBS tubs and a giant cooler to hold the drinks and ice for the kids’ snacks. We stopped at On the Run for the last bathroom break for until noon, and for drinks for the translators and any snacks the team wanted to take with them.
We got to our ministry area and the roads are too bad for the vans, so we walked about a half mile to the little school in the neighborhood. We made a few adjustments to our plans and enjoyed our first VBS event.
We had music (with action songs) for the whole group. John Doss did a wonderful job playing the new guitar the team bought for VOH ministries. A bunch of the team demonstrated the actions for the songs. Everyone had a wonderful time.
Then we split into 2 groups, Bible Story time and Crafts. The team did a good job on these sessions. Then we switched the kids so they could do the opposite sessions. We ran out of time for games, but we did get to present to the school some Frisbees and a couple of soccer balls for the neighborhood kids to play with.
Some quick distribution of cookies, drinks and candy, and we were on our way walking back to the vans, which were able to get a little closer on a different road. We were missing Ms Mary, Stacie and Oscar, who were still street witnessing. The other street witness groups had come back by now. We finally saw the 3 coming out of the trees and heading our way. On the road back to the highway, there was a couple inclines that the vans would not be able to make with a load like ours, so we got out and walked for a bit. Then we got back in the vans and hit the highway.
We did the second VBS at Posoltega and worked along side the Todopoderoso church. I just love this church. We had an excellent time there. They had the area ready with balloons on trees and a piñata and tables for the food and a sound system. Everyone went out (our team + translator + people from the Todopoderoso church) to gather kids to the area. Then when we started the VBS sessions, 3 groups of street witnesses went out. Everything went very smoothly. We had another great time sharing Jesus.
There was a mango tree on the site, and some of us got the blessing of eating them right off of the tree. Oh my! How good!
There were so many fun and funny things that happened today, but I can’t remember them at the moment. God has really blessed us today.
We helped with the feeding and even got to try some of the food today. It was delicious! We were very honored and blessed that we could provide the money for the food and work with the hard workers who prepared it. It’s so great to serve together with God’s workers all across the world. We have a common bond that no one without Christ could really understand. And we’ll all be together in Heaven one day. I wonder if we will get the chance to remember the times we worked together. Hmmm.
We made it back to On the Run for a much needed bathroom break (after 5 hours) and some sodas and snacks for the teams. Then we got home and had lunch. We Kirstie did a nice devotion and we had a quick team meeting. Then everyone went their own ways to the beach or to nap (or in my case, to take care of some computer work and emails).
We had some issues with the water this afternoon and the line for showers was building as the water was drizzling and stopping all together. We never did figure out what was going on, but everyone finally got showered and ready for church.
We left at 4:30pm to meet at the stoplight at 5 to pick up a few of the translators. Then we headed to the park to sightsee a little of the old buildings and to look at the vendors’ wares. I bought a few more woven zipper bags that I love. One is just perfect to hold my Kindle. We walked around a mural and listened to Rydder explain the meaning and history of Nicaragua and León. Then we trotted a block over to have some Eskimo ice cream. It was yummy. It took about 30 minutes to get everyone their ice cream, but we had time to enjoy sitting in the open restaurant with the breeze flowing through.
We made it to Rose of Sharon church on time, which means we were early, and we listened to the band tune up. This is a great band and I love to hear them play. People kept arriving. Then we say a group of North Americans (we kind of stick out, you know) and saw that it was a missionary that we often run into at the church. He had a group from Fort Smith AR of all places! Our group met their group before the service started. We listened, sang, danced and worshiped together with the help of the wonderful band. Our team did the drama/creative movement thing again tonight and it brought tears to my eyes again. What a beautiful expression of what God does in our life. One of the other NAs sang a song which moved us and all the NAs ended up standing and raising our hands as we sang the words we know so well, He Is Mighty To Save. Then John Doss gave his testimony, which was very good and meaningful to many. There was a moving testimony by a girl on the other NA team. Then the Youth Pastor of the Fort Smith church gave the message. We had the chance to pray for people with special requests for prayer. It was a privilege to pray with Mariano, whom I’ve come to admire and respect very much. More wonderful music by the band, lots of dancing and singing and handclapping. Even a little jaunt around the room for the hearty people. (this was a Youth service, after all!) The kids had a great time worshiping together up front. After the service the two NA teams got to chat a little with each other. We finally got our team out the door and to the vans.
A couple of cute things happened tonight at church. One was that a little girl, may 2 years old or so, came up by Jaasiel and me and was dancing and clapping to the music. She was adorable! She saw the construction hat that German was using for his motorcycle helmet. (I was keeping it safe by my chair.) The little girl picked up the hat and handed it to me. Then she picked up my Bible bag which was a little heavier, and then she picked up the small backpack I take to church. She noticed how heavy it was and her little mouth made a cute ‘o’ expression. So cute. She picked up the hat again and I put it on her head. We did this a couple of times and then she walked back to her mom with the hat on. German was sitting a couple of rows back and snagged the hat. She was such a cutie!
Another funny thing was during the music at the end of the service, when the youth was mostly up front dancing and worshiping, it looked like a concert and a mosh pit. I had just said this to Jennifer when we saw that someone was holding up a toddler and it looked like they were going to start handing him back. This made us laugh. Of course, the person kept a hold of the child and there was not danger. It was just funny to see it.
We got back to the house tonight and had hamburgers and chips for dinner about 9:30pm. Everyone hit the bed by 10:30 (except for me, of course). Someone was going to be using the USB thing for internet, so I decided to just type this up in a word document (so I wouldn’t forget anything) and post it tomorrow.
I’m good and tired, not exhausted, but I know that the 5 hours of sleep for tonight won’t be near enough. But God will get us all through the long days and give us rest in the afternoons as we need it.
I praise Him for all He has created. All He allows us to do in His name. I thank Him for the wonderful fellow Christians here in Nica and for the relationships we enjoy with each other.
I pray that everyone will get the rest they need tonight and will feel refreshed tomorrow. I can’t wait to see the blessings that He has in store for us. He is every faithful.
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